Upholstery machine



July 29, 1941.

E.M. KENNEDY -ETAL UPHOLSTRY MACHINE Filed Feb. 18, 1938 5 Sheets-Shea?l 1 IN VENTO/i5.

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July 29,1941. E. M. KENNEDY :a1-Al.

UPHOLSTERY MACHINE Filed Feb. 18. 1938 w -,mhvnw imm L www NWN -amf w M Y B July 29, 1941. E M, KENNEDY ETAL 4 2,250,768

UPHOLSTERY MACHINE Filed Feb. A18, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 A Troie/v5 s.

-July 29, 1941. E, M. KENNEDY ETAL UPHOLSTERY MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb.' 18, 1938 July 29, 1941. E. M. KENNEDY ET Al. 2,250,758

UPHOLSTERY MACHINE Filed Feb. 18', 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 annahm- .hldwwmu .hlmnhmv Nsu. hw

Patented July 29, 1941 Boyd, Rochester, Mich., assignors to Briggs Manufacturing Company, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application February 18, 1938, Serial No. 191,162V

, (lCl. 112--2) 16 Claims.

This invention relates to an upholstery machine adapted particularly, although not exclusively, for making upholstery for vehicle seat and back cushions.

An object of the invention is to provide a machine capable of producing upholstery units of tufted or pleat-like formation consisting of a foundation sheeting and a cover fabric, together with an interposed layer of padding, in an inexpensive, eicient and improved manner and to eliminate the necessity of forming independent tubes and nested seams and/or seam ridges in the material and then feeding independent and individual strips of padding into those tubes,

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the foregoing character having means for gripping the edges of the foundation sheeting to hold it taut while it is being fed through the machine, and separate feeding means for the work positioned above and below the same and engageable with the opposite faces of the work for feeding it through the machine.

A further object is to provide a machine having power driven scoring devices for scoring or marking the padding at predetermined points to permit the placing of the fabric pieces in their proper positions with relation to and for engagement by the sewing mechanism of the machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a. machine having transversely disposed sewing instrumentalities including vertically reciprocable needles, to which the work is fed and presser feet in front of said needles, together with positively driven rotatable members associated with the presser vfeet to compress the work prior to its engagement with the feet and sewing needles.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine having superimposed sets of positively driven endless work feeding belts located in the spaces between adjacent needles, and a weighted frame structure associated with thel upper set of belts to apply pressure to the top surface ofthe work through the medium of said upper belts.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine having a stripper for automatically releasing the foundation sheeting from the taut applying gripping means after the upholstery material issues from the sewing mechanism.

The above and other objects and advantages 'of the invention will appear from the following description and appended claims when considered in connection with the accompanying drawingsj forming a part of this specification wherein like reference charactersI designate Itzorresponding parts in the several views.

.In Said drawings:

Fig, 1 is a diagrammatic top plan View, partly in section, yof a machine .embodying the present invention,

Fig, 2 is a longitudinal sectional View taken substantially along vthe line 2`2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical transverse section taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Fig.. 2, looking in the ,direction of .the arrows- Fig. 4 is a perspective view, partly broken away, of the machine taken from the front or entrance end @he Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional view taken substantially along the line 5 5 of Fig. Li, looking in the direction of .the

arrows.

Fig, (iis-an enlargedfragmentary perspective Viewr of thegsewlng heads or instrumentalities and their associated parts taken from `the frontV side theregi.A

Fig. 7 is an Aenlarged fragmentary perspective view of the sewing heads and associated. parts, taken from the rear of the machine.

, Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective View taken from beneath the machine and looking toward the front side of the sewing mechanism and associated parts.

Fig, 9 is a perspective View of .one of the work pieces turned by the machine, taken rafter theY sewing operationjhas been completed.

Fig. -10 is an enlarged fragmentary section of the work piece, taken substantially along .the line Ill-I0 of Fig. 9, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary side elevation showing a .detail of one .of the sewing instrumentalities and .associated parts, taken substantially along the line HTH .of Fig, .6, looking inthe direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 12 is a vertical section, partly in elevation, taken substantially along the line I2-I2 of Fig. 11.

Before -explaining in detail the present invention it is to be understood that .the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, Ysince the invention is capable of other embodiments and of be.- ing practiced .or 4carried Vout in various ways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology .employed herein is for .the purpose of description and not of limitation, and it is not intended to limit the invention claimed herein beyond the requirements of the prior art.

In accordance with the present invention, the embodiment of the machine herein shown and described comprises a positive means for feeding in superimposed relation the foundation sheeting and the layer of padding in continuous lengths, and for also positively feeding a series of cover pieces laid substantially edge to edge upon the` padding, to a series or battery of transversely disposed sewing mechanisms or instrumentalities. The machine also comprises endless taut applying means for the foundation sheeting which diverge slightly from the entrance end of the machine toward the sewing mechanisms to maintain the foundation sheeting stretched evenly during its travel through the machine. The machine also comprises positively driven scoring devices for marking the padding to ensure the proper placement thereupon of the cover material pieces, and positively driven presser rolls ore-disks to compress the material at the lines of stitching prior to the engagement of the material with the presser feet and associated sewing needles. The top series of belts for feeding the material are associated with a weighted frame to apply pressure to the material between the rows or lines of stitching to ensure positive movement, as a unit, of the three layers of material making up the work pieces. At the eXit end of the machine behind the sewing mechanism there is provided a stripper bar which engages the work and strips or releases the foundation sheeting from the taut applying means.

Referring now particularly to the drawings, the entire organization of the present embodiment of the invention is shown diagrammatically in Figs. 1 and 2. The machine, as shown, comprises a horizontal bed or table I3 mounted upon uprights I4 and suitable frame structure, not shown. Mounted upon the table and spaced thereabove is a platform I5 which extends transversely over the table and provides means for supporting a pile of cover material pieces IS. At the front or entrance end of the machine and adjacent the front end of the table I3 there is provided a somewhat smaller supporting table I1 mounted upon upright supports I8 for supporting a roll of cotton batting or padding material IS mounted upon a removable shaft 2l) which engages uprights 2l extending above the table to maintain the roll in place. A roll of foundation sheeting 22 is supported upon an auxiliary platform 23 positioned beneath the table I'I.

The sewing mechanism and associated instrulnentalities of the machine are located at or adjacent the rear or exit end thereof and, as shown, are mounted upon a cross frame member or bar 24 carried by two metal uprights or standards 25, one at each'side of the machine.

Adjacent the front or entrance end of the machine and near'the front edge of the table I3 there is supported, in any convenient manner, a

positively driven roll or drum 25. A similar roll" ork drum 2? is provided adjacent the rear end of the machine behind and beneath the sewing mechanism. These rolls may be in the form of a series of drums of like diameter which are mounted upon a common shaft and xed thereto to rotate together as a unit with the shaft. A driven shaft 25 is mounted or journalled in theupright frame members 25 adjacent to the roll 21 and carries a series of spaced pulleys or drums 29 which are fixed to the shaft to rotate together as a unit with said shaft. Another driven shaft 30 is mounted beneath the table I3 and adjacent the roll 26.

A series of spaced endless belts 3l is provided. These belts engage the rolls or drums 26 and 21 and are driven thereby. The upper course of each of the belts 3| travels over the top surface of the table i3 and preferably in a groove formed in the table (see Fig. 3), the lower course of the belt travelling below the table I3 and over one of the driven drums 29 and the driven shaft 30. The drums 29 and the shaft 30 together pro- Vide tensioning means for the belts 3| as well as auxiliary driving means for said belts. To prevent lateral shifting of the lower courses of the belts, a pair of guide bars or ngers 32 is provided for each of the belts. These guide fingers are mounted upon a transverse rod or shaft 33, see Figs. 2 and 3.

Adjacent each of the side edges of the table I3 there is provided an endless belt 34 which engages the rolls 25 and 2l, one of the drums 29 and the driven shaft 3B. The upper course of each belt travels over the table I3 and preferably in a groove or depression formed therein.

Referring particularly to Figs. 3 and 5, there is shown in detail one of a pair of endless belts 35 which extends lengthwise of the machine and is provided with two spaced rows of staggered pins or screws 36 having points projecting beyond the outer face of the belt. The belts 35 cooperate with the belts 34 as will be seen later and are driven by pulleys 31 mounted upon a shaft 38 adjacent the front end of the machine and by similar pulleys 39 mounted upon a shaft 40 adjacent the rear end of the machine. The shaft lili is preferably slightly longer than the shaft 38 so that the pulleys 39 mounted thereon will be spaced apart a greater distance than the pulleys 3l' which are mounted upon the shaft 38. Thus the belts 35 and also the belts 34 diverge slightly outwardly from the front or entrance end of the machine at A to the rear or exit end thereof at B, see Fig. l. 'I'he courses of each of the belts 35 pass above and below a preferably channel shaped longitudinally extending frame member 4I, see Figs. 3, 5 and 8. Tensioning means for the belts 35 preferably comprise idler rolls or disks li2 which are mounted upon a transverse shaft 43 and engage the belts between the spaced rows of impaling pins or screws 36 carried by the belts. Tensioning means for the rear end of the belts 35 preferably comprises a xed rod or shaft 44. Thus sufficient tension and pressure are applied to the belts 35 to cause the lower courses thereof to force the pins or screws 36 into the foundation material or sheeting as it issues from the roll 22 and to hold said sheeting transversely taut during its travel through the machine. The base portions or webs of the channel members 6i serve to maintain the lower courses ofthe belts 35 in flat condition. As seen particularly in Fig. 5, the lower belt 34 at each side of the machine provides means into which the prongs or points of the pins orscrews 35 may penetrate after they have pierced the foundation material or sheeting 22 and thus protect the bed of the machine.

Mounted above the bed or table I3 of the machine and extending from a point in advance of the sewing mechanism to a point behind said mechanism is a series of endless belts 46. yThese belts are spaced apart transversely of Vthe machine and are driven at their front ends by a roll or drum 4l and at their rear end by. a knurled surface roll or drum 48 (see Fig. 7) which is mounted upon the shaft 4I] carrying the pulleys. 39 previously referred to.

Referring particularly to Figs. 6, 7 and 8, it willY be seen that a weighted frame structure is interposed between the upper and lower courses of theendless belts. 46. As, shown, this structure may comprise longitudinally spaced wood blocks 510 interposed between top and bottom longitudinally extending wood board-s 5I, the blocks in rear of the needle mounted upon a loose or unsupported cross shaft 52 (see Fig. 7). A heavy metal bar53 extends transversely of the spaced pairs of boards 5l and rests upon the lower boards of the pairs.v It will beV understood that the wood blocks 56 and the boards. 5l are secured together at opposite ends and at intermediate points to provide a unitary frame, the front spacer blocks 50 of which are pivotally mounted upon a fixed cross shaft 54 secured at its opposite ends to vertically adjustable brackets 55 mounted upon a portiono-f the machine frame, see Fig. 4. Thus the weighted frame is, in` effect, a floating unit fixed at its front end and free at its rear end, which applies weight and pressure to the lower courses of the endless belts 46 to hold the material in compressed condition in lines interposed between the sewing instrumentalities. Thus the upper set of belts 46 cooperate with the lower set of belts 3l to grip the work and convey the work pieces to and lirough the sewing mechanism and prevent any relative movement of the three laminations forming each of the work pieces, thereby ensuring even stitching through the several layers of material in predetermined spaced lines.

Referring again to Fig. 2, it will be Seen that a pair of horizontal transverse rolls 56 and 5'! which areY mounted upon Atransverse driven shafts, support and drive a wide endless band or belt 58,. The upper course of rthis belt travels over they table l1. The belt is driven through the medium of gears 5,9 and 6G and chain 6I from the roll 26 (see Fig. 1) to cause the belt 58 to travel in a clockwise direction and unwind or unroll the cotton batting I9 from its supporting roll.

The cotton batting is scored longitudinally at spaced points as shown at 62, Figs. 1 and 4, by means of a series of scoring disks 63 carried by the shaft 3S. The shaft 64 carries a series of presser disks 65 each of which is arranged in front of and cooperates with a presser foot 66, as shown in detail in Figs. 11 and 12. These disks 65 are in line with the lines of scoring 62 and serve to compress the material of the work pieces so as to guide it properly under the presser feet 66, as clearly seen in Fig. 11. The shaft 54 and disks 65 are driven or rotated by a sprocket andAcha-in driving connection 64a, 64b, see Fig. 6. The longitudinally aligned relatively sharp edged presser disks 63 and 65 successively compress first the padding layer and then both the top fabric and padding layer along the lines of stitching to form well` defined grooves or troughs thereby facilitating stitching and formation `as well as accentuation of the intervening tuft or pleat like portions of the final article. The sewing instrumentalities or units of the present machine each comprises the usual needle bar support 6l', needle bar 68 and needle 69. The needle bar and needle are capable of vertically reciprocating movement and are allowed a forward and rear-1 ward. tilting. or swinging movement about` the mechanism being that the presser feet (i6V are forked at their forward endsand that one of the presser disksl65 is positioned between the forked ends ofre'ach presser foot to rotate therein.

Each of theneedle bars is adapted to support one or more needles, dependent upon the number yand proximity of the rows of stitching to be applied tothe work. The needles 69 are supplied with thread fromv spools H supported in conventional manner upon a horizontal shelf 12, the thread. being guided by means of vspaced guides E3 and 14. The .looper mechanism (not shown) Y of conventional construc- 36 of the taut applying endless belts.y ForlthisV purpose, see particularly Figs. l, 2 and'l; there is provided at the rear end of the machine a stripper which, as shown, comprises a Vrod or shaft Sil having a freely rotatable sleeve 8l thereon.- The shaft is mounted at itsopposite ends upon the upright frame members 25. j The' finished work pieces pass beneaththestripper.

and engage the sleeve thereof which applies a The operation` 'ofthe machine is substantially as follows: A roll of foundation sheeting,v 21sy placed in position upon the supporting cradle 23, and the sheeting is drawn out and upward and `The laid over the lowerseries of endless belts 3l. edges of the foundation sheeting are inserted between thespiked belt 35 andthe cooperating smooth belt 34 so -that the'pins or screws 36 in the belt 35 will penetrate theA sheeting. The sheeting is stretched transversely into taut condition when applied to the points of the screws. As stated above, the belts 3 5 diverge outwardly from the front end of the machine toward the needle mechanism and thus serve to maintain the sheeting in taut condition. A roll of cotton batting Y I 9 is now placed upon the conveyor belt 5S and supporting table Il and unwound and laid over the sheeting 22. The two layers of material are drawn forwardly and passed between the superimposed upper and lower series of endless -belts 46 and 3|.v The drive mechanism for themachine is now set into operation whereupon the cooperating upper and lower pairs of endless belts move the interposed layers of material forwardlyy through the machine, while the rotatingscoring disks 63 function to score the cotton batting at predetermined points, for example, `along the lines 62. A supply of cover pieces i6 has beenjplaced upon the platform l5 and an operator at each side of the platform places a coverpiece over the cotton batting, with the long edges of the cover pieces being placed in close proximity one to ane. other. Each cover piece is notched out at its long edges so that the workman canl align the' notches with the scored lines formed in the pad-` ding and thus ensure the vproper positioning of Y,

afeibe-ng 11o-tate@ alldlsersv@ 00` Compress. theicovel-z' pivot 16, see particularly Fig. 11. It will-.be noted",Y

The mechanism for operating the needles enter beneath the presser feet 66 in proper condition to be engaged by the vsewing needles 69. As the machine continues to operate a series of stitched upholstery pieces, such as the specimen piece in Fig. 9, issue at the rear or eXit end of the machine. These pieces are connected together by continuous lengths of the found-ation sheeting and cotton batting, the three being stitched together by longitudinal rows of stitching. As the work pieces issue from the machine the stripper bar 80, 8l engages the continuous length of work pieces and releases or withdraws the foundation sheeting from engagement with the taut applying pins or screws 36. The upholstery material or pieces may now be stacked in piles in the continuous lengths in which they issue or the several pieces may be separated by severing the foundation sheeting and cotton batting at points located between the adjacent cover pieces I6.

It will be understood that a common source of power is employed to operate the several conveyor belts, scoring disks and presser disks, as well as to operate the sewing needles and looper mechanism.

We claim:

1. In an upholstery machine for producing pleated upholstery of the type comprising a foundation sheeting, an intermediate layer of padding, and a cover fabric stitched together by spaced rows of stitching; the combination of stitch forming mechanism, a plurality of endless feed belts located above and below the material for feeding it to said stitch forming mechanism, a plurality of scoring disks engageable with the padding to score the same longitudinally at predetermined points, presser feet located in advance of the stitch forming mechanism, and rotatable presser disks associated with said presser feet for compressing the material in advance of and adjacent to said feet and prior to its engagement with said feet.

2. In an upholstery machine for producing pleated upholstery of the type comprising a foundation sheeting, an intermediate layer of padding, and a cover fabric stitched together by spaced rows of stitching; the combination of stitch forming mechanism, a plurality of endless feed belts located above and below the material for feeding it to said stitch forming mechanism, a plurality of scoring disks engageable with the padding to score the same longitudinally at predetermined points, presser feet located in advance of the stitch forming mechanism, and rotatable presser disks associated with said presser feet for cornpressing the material in adv-ance of and adjacent to said feet and prior to its engagement with said feet, said scoring disks and presser disks being longitudinally aligned.

3. In an upholstery machine for producing pleated upholstery of the type comprising a foundation sheeting, an intermediate layer of padding, and a cover fabric stitched together by spaced rows of stitching; the combination of stitch forming mechanism, a plurality of endless feed belts located above and below the material for feeding it to said stitch forming mechanism, a plurality of scoring disks engageable with the padding to score the same longitudinally at predetermined points, presser feet located in advance of the stitch forming mechanism, and rotatable presser disks associated with said presser feet for compressing the material in advance of and adjacent to said feet and prior to its engagement with said feet, said scoring disks and presser disks being fabric I6 and the cotton batting I9 so that it willk longitudinally aligned and said stitch forming mechanism comprising needles aligned with said disks.

4. In an upholstery machine for producing pleated upholstery of the type comprising a foundation sheeting, an intermediate layer of padding, and a cover fabric stitched together by spaced rows of stitching; the combination of stitch forming mechanism comprising transversely spaced needles, mechanism for feeding said sheeting with the padding layer superimposed thereupon into position to receive the cover fabric and thence feeding the work to said stitch forming mechanism, means for compressing said padding layer along well defined lines spaced in accordance with the spacing of said needles and in line therewith, and means for compressing both said cover fabric and padding along well defined lines corresponding to the lines of stitching, each of said means comprising spaced sets of relatively sharp edged disks.

5. In van upholstery machine for producing pleated upholstery of the type comprising a foundation sheeting, an intermediate layer of padding, and a cover fabric stitched together by spaced rows of stitching; the combination of stitch forming mechanism comprising transversely spaced needles, mechanism for feeding said sheeting with the padding layer superimposed thereupon into position to receive the cover fabric and thence feeding the work to said stitch forming mechanism, `and a plurality of relatively sharp edged power driven disks aligned with said needles and in advance thereof for grooving the cover fabric and padding layers prior to the stitching thereof, said disks being supported by a common drive shaft.

6. In an upholstery machine for producing pleated upholstery of the type comprising a foundation sheeting, an intermediate layer of padding, and a cover fabric stitched together by spaced rows of stitching; the combination of stitch forming mechanism comprising transversely spaced needles, mechanism for feeding said sheeting with the padding layer superimposed thereupon into position to receive the cover fabric and thence feeding the work to said stitch forming mechanism, relatively sharp edged power driven disks aligned with said needles and in advance thereof for grooving the cover fabric and padding layers prior to the stitching thereof, and presser feet associated` with said needles and bifurcated to straddle said disks, said disks being supported independently of said presser feet.

7. In an upholstery` machine for producing pleated upholstery of the type comprising a foundation sheeting, an intermediate layer of padding, and a cover fabric stitched together by spaced rows of stitching; the combination of stitch forming mechanism, a plurality of endless feed belts located above and below the material for feeding it to said stitch forming mechanism, a plurality of scoring disks engageable with the padding to score the same longitudinally at predetermined points, presser feet located in advance of the stitch forming mechanism, rotatable presser disks associated with said presser feet for compressing the material in advance ofand adjacent to said feet and prior to its engagement with said feet, and means at opposite sides of the machine engageable with the foundation sheeting for stretching the same laterally during its passage through the machine.

8. In an upholstery machine for producing :assures -stitch forming'mechanism, a plurality of endless feed beltslocated-above and below the .ma-

"terial for feeding it to lsaid stitch forming mechanism, a plurality of scoring Vdisks engageable with the padding to score the same longitudinally at predetermined points, presser feet located in advance of the `stitch forming mechanism, rotatableV presser disks 'associated with said Vpresser feet for 'compressing 'the material in advance of `andadjacen't to said feet and prior to its engagement with said feet, Aand endless Vbelts having impaling `means locatedat vopposite sides of the machine 'engageable with the foundation sheeting for stretching the same Ylaterally during its passage through the machine. Y

9. In an upholstery machine for producing pleated upholstery of the type comprising a foundation sheeting, an intermediate layer of padding, and a cover fabric stitched together by spaced rows of stitching; the combination of a work supporting bed, stitch forming mechanism adjacent one end of the bed, a series of endless feed belts extending longitudinally of the machine, the upper and lower courses of said belts being disposed above and below said bed and extending the full length thereof, a second series of endless feed belts located wholly above the bed and extending throughout a portion of its length, said rst and second series of beltsengaging opposite faces of the work to feed the same to the stitch forming mechanism, and movable impaling means located at opposite sides of said bed and diverging toward said stitch forining mechanism engageable with the foundation sheeting for stretching the same laterally during the passage of the work through the machine.

10. In an upholstery machine for producing pleated upholstery of the type comprising a foundation sheeting, an intermediate layer of padding, and a cover fabric stitched together 'by spaced rows of stitching; the combination of a work supporting bed, stitch forming mechanism adjacentone end of the bed, a series of endless feed belts extending longitudinally of the machine, the upper and lower courses of said belts being disposed above and below said bed and extending the full length thereof, a second series of endless feed belts located wholly above the bed and extending throughout a portion of its length, said rst and second series of belts engaging opposite faces of the work to feed the same to the stitch forming mechanism, and means diverging toward the stitch forming mechanism for transversely stretching said foundation sheeting independently of the padding layer and cover fabric during the feeding thereof toward the stitch forming mechanism.

l1. In an upholstery Vmachine for producing pleated upholstery of the type comprising a foundation sheeting, an intermediate layer of padding, and a cover fabric stitched together by spaced rows of stitching; the combination of a work supporting bed, stitch forming mechanism adjacent one end of the bed, a series of endless feed belts extending longitudinally of the machine, the upper and lower courses of said belts being disposed above and below said bed and extending the full length thereof, a second series of endless feed belts located wholly above the bed and extending throughout a portion of its length, said rst and second Series of belts engaging opdine, and cover fabric-'stitchedjtogeth' fposite races or the *work teffe'edtnefsame.toithe -ga'geable with the 1'foundation'` sheeting' for 'stretching' the same laterally"duringlthe passage v-of Vthe- 'work'fthrough the' "machine, andfmeans'at the -eXit'l-endo'f the mach-ineand extending transversely thereof lfor stripping the fou"'ndatinV sheet from saidV impaling means; said strippingl means comprising a ftelescoped 14'bar and' rotatable T sl'eeve.

12`. Inan'f 'upholstery machine forfproducing pleated upholstery of the type comprisiri'ga founcation sheeting, an intermediate layer fori-'padeby spacedY 'WS of Stitching ll'le"COIibla'ti011'"-ff a.

'work "supporting bed, Vstitch forming-mechanism :adjacent oneV end offthebedf-a 'series' of endless feedb'eltsk extending flo'ngitu'dinally'-"of the Imachine, kthe"upperf'and` lower.c'olirsesY ofsai being -disposedfabove and` below saidfbed tending the ffull' length' thereof, ai secondiseries of endless feed belts located wholly above the bed and extending throughout a portion of its length. means located between the courses of said second series of belts for applying pressure to the work passing beneath said belts, said rst and second series of belts engaging opposite faces of the work to feed the same to the stitch forming mechanism, and movable impaling means located at opposite sides of said bed and diverging toward said stitch forming mechanism engageable with the foundation sheeting for stretching the same laterally during the passage of the work through the machine. i

13. In an upholstery machine for producing.

to the stitch mechanism the cover fabric andA padding in superimposed relation to the sheeting, and means for transversely stretching the sheeting independently of the padding and cover fabric, said last named means comprising endless belts extending throughout a major portion of the machine length diverging toward the stitch forming mechanism and having devices to impale the sheeting along opposite edges thereof.

14. In an upholstery machine for producing pleated upholstery material of the type comprising a foundation sheeting, an intermediate layer of padding, and a cover fabric stitched together by spaced rows of stitching; the combination of a work supporting bed, stitch forming mechanism adjacent one end of the bed, a series of transversely spaced endless feed belts extending longitudinally of the machine, the upper and lower courses of said belts being disposed above and besame to the stitch forming mechanism, and movable impaling means located at opposite sides of said bed and diverging toward the stitch forming mechanism engageable with the foundation sheeting for stretching the same laterally during the passage of the work through the machine.

15. In an upholstery machine for producing pleated upholstery material of the type comprising a foundation sheeting, an intermediate layer of padding, and a cover fabric stitched together by spaced rows of stitching; the combination of a work supporting bed, stitch forming mechanism adjacent one end of the bed, a series of transversely spaced endless feed belts extending longitudinally of the machine, the upper and lower courses of said belts being disposed above and below said bed, a second series of endless 'feed belts located wholly above the bed and extending longitudinally thereof, and a weighted generally rectangular frame structure for compressing said material having members extending transversely of the machine and a plurality of substantially parallel members extending longitudinally of the machine and below the upper courses of the second series of belts, said entire frame structure being located in the space between the upper and lower courses of said second series of belts.

16. In an upholstery -machine for producing pleated upholstery of the type comprising a foundation sheeting, an intermediate layer of pading, and a cover fabric stitched together by spaced rows of stitching; the combination of a work supportingr bed, stitch forming mechanism adjacent one end of the bed, means for feeding t'o the stitch mechanism the cover fabric and padding in superimposed relation to the sheeting, and means located adjacent opposite sides of the machine extending longitudinally thereof throughout a major portion of the machine length and diverging toward the stitch forming mechanism for transversely stretching the sheeting independently of the padding and cover fabric, said stretching means having sheeting im paling members.

ELMER M. KENNEDY. CECIL ANDERSON BOYD. 

